But Ynda was engaged to Eden now, and both their families were pushing for a child as soon as possible. She had no right to refuse, so she could only grit her teeth and endure it.


    Pinned beneath him, her robe torn open, Ynda felt his rough kisses on her skin. He showed no tenderness. But even so, she could tell he wasn''t ready.


    "Eden, can''t you get it up?" she sneered, her eyes filled with undisguised contempt.


    Eden''s face instantly darkened. No man could tolerate a woman questioning his performance in bed.


    The women he''d been with before, thoughcking her pedigree, were all stunningly beautiful and passionate in bed, capable of driving a man wild.


    But without her makeup, Ynda was rather in. She just lies there like a log- Eden''spletely turned off.


    "It''s you I can''t get it up for," Eden snarled. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her up.


    Ynda cried out in pain, tears streaming down her face.


    He showed no mercy, pinning her by the shoulders. His tone wasmanding. "You''re going to help me."


    The prized daughter of the Walker family had never been so humiliated. She screamed and struggled with all her might.


    Eden pulled Ynda back into his arms, kissing her cheek...


    When it was over, Ynda''s throat was hoarse and her eyes were swollen. Shey motionless on the bed, wrapped in a nket, her eyes staring nkly at the ceiling.


    Eden stood on the floor, already dressed.


    He lit another cigarette, taking a long, deep drag as if savoring it. The room once again filled with thick smoke.


    "You were so pretentious before, wouldn''t even let me hold your hand. I thought you were a virgin, but I guess not," Eden said, sitting on the edge of the bed and toying with a strand of her hair.


    "Who have you been with? Oscar? Bet? Both of them? Or were there others?" he asked with a cruel smirk.


    Ynda red at him with her swollen eyes, biting her lip in silence.


    Bet had never touched her. Their rtionship had been proper and restrained, with almost no physical intimacy.


    Oscar was her first love and her first man. After they broke up, and before she started dating Bet, she had a brief fling with a moderately famous actor. He was impably handsome and built, and very


    attentive in bed.


    But his family background was poor, and Vincent would never allow his daughter to marry an actor, so they quickly parted ways.


    When Ynda remained silent, Eden grew annoyed at being ignored. He was still


    toying with her hair and gave it a sharp tug.


    Ynda cried out in pain as fresh tears fell.


    "I don''t care how many men you''ve


    slept with, but the child you bear-


    must be mine. I have a short temper, so you''d better learn to behave. Understand?


    With her hair pulled back, she was forced into a humiliating posture, her head tilted


    up in pain. She nodded, sobbing uncontrobly.


    Only then did Eden release her. He threw on his clothes and left the room.


    He went to the guest room, and when he came out of the shower, he found a maid waiting at the door.


    "What is it?" he asked, toweling his hair dry.


    "Sir, your wife just drove off. I asked where she was going, but she didn''t say," the maid said worriedly.


    "Probably running home to Mommy and Daddy toin," Eden scoffed.


    The maid asked, "Aren''t you going to go after her and try to smooth things over?"


    "Just leave her," Eden snapped impatiently, turning back into his room.


    He hadn''t hit her or left a single scratch. And what happened between a husband and wife in the bedroom was their own business Even txrda had the nerve to tell them, the Walkers wouldn''t have the face to intervene.